Bulletproof Blues Basic 4e EN:Attributes
We assign numbers to characters' abilities so that we can tell what they can do. No one wants to guess what their characters can pick up or how fast they can run. A character's attributes in Bulletproof Blues are ranked on a scale from 1 to 10. Most people have attributes of 1 or 2. Few people reach 3 in any attribute, and 4 is the peak of human potential.
Base attributes (Agility, Brawn, Presence, and Reason) and Power Level each cost one character point to have a 1 in that attribute. Increasing an attribute costs a number of character points equal to the next skill level. For example, increasing an attribute from 3 to 4 costs 4 points.
Peak human potential is marked in red.
| Description | Value | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Typical | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | 2 | |
| 3 | 4 | |
| Fantastic | 4 | 7 |
| 5 | 11 | |
| 6 | 16 | |
| Epic | 7 | 22 |
| 8 | 29 | |
| 9 | 37 | |
| Unearthly | 10 | 46 |
Random Character Generation
Would you like to roll dice for your attributes? You can! Roll three six-sided dice, and consult the following table to see what you get:
| Roll 2d6 | Value | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | 2 | 2 |
| 3-4 | 3 | 4 |
| 5-8 | 4 | 7 |
| 9-10 | 5 | 11 |
| 11-12 | 6 | 16 |
Roll six times, and add up the total cost. Subtract that total from your pool of character points.
Now assign what you rolled to your character's attributes (Agility, Brawn, Endurance, Presence, Reason, Power Level), placing each number wherever you like.
Agility
Agility represents a character's coordination, ranged fighting ability, and general flexibility.
Agility determines a character's base movement speed. Agility is the default attribute used for attacking and defending in ranged combat. See the Actions chapter for more information.
If a character's Agility is reduced to zero, they have great difficulty moving. They may make a standard action or a movement action, but not both in the same round, and they automatically fail any Agility rolls. Agility may not be reduced below zero.
Peak human potential is marked in red.
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Brawn
Brawn represents a character's physical might, hand-to-hand fighting ability, and general hardiness.
Brawn determines how much a character can lift and how far they can throw things. Brawn is the default attribute used for hand-to-hand combat. See the Actions chapter for more information.
If a character's Brawn is reduced to zero, they have great difficulty moving. They may make a standard action or a movement action, but not both in the same round, and they automatically fail any Brawn rolls. Brawn may not be reduced below zero.
Peak human potential is marked in red.
| Brawn | Lift | Example | Throw 25 kg | Long Jump |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 25 kg | medium dog | 1 m | 0 m |
| 1 | 55 kg | pony keg of beer | 1 m | 1 m |
| 2 | 110 kg | heavy adult | 2 m | 1 m |
| 3 | 240 kg | motorcycle | 5 m | 2 m |
| 4 | 500 kg | grand piano | 10 m | 5 m |
| 5 | 1,600 kg | full size car | 32 m | 10 m |
| 6 | 5,000 kg | empty dump truck | 100 m | 32 m |
| 7 | 16 t | tractor-trailer | 320 m | 100 m |
| 8 | 50 t | loaded tanker truck | 1,000 m | 320 m |
| 9 | 160 t | huge mining dump-truck | 3,200 m | 1,000 m |
| 10 | 500 t | 747 passenger plane | 10 km | 3,200 m |
| 11 | 1,600 t | small bridge | 32 km | 10 km |
| 12 | 5,000 t | Eiffel Tower | 100 km | 32 km |
| 13 | 16,000 t | long train | 320 km | 100 km |
| 14 | 50,000 t | aircraft carrier | 1,000 km | 320 km |
| 15 | 160,000 t | large office building | 3,200 km | 1,000 km |
- Lift indicates the greatest weight that the character can "deadlift" (pick up off the ground to the level of the hips). A character carrying or supporting such a weight can take at most one or two steps per turn. A character can move normally while carrying a weight corresponding to one less than their Brawn. For example, a character with Brawn 4 could carry up to 240 kilograms and suffer no penalties to their movement while doing so.
- Throw 25 kg indicates the farthest distance that a character could throw a compact object weighing 25 kg. To see how far a character can throw heavier objects, subtract the Brawn required to lift the object from the character's total Brawn. Look up the difference in the "Brawn" column: this indicates how far the character can throw the object. For example, a character with Brawn 4 could throw an object weighing 120 kg up to 2 meters.
- Long Jump indicates the character's standing long jump. With a running long jump, the character's ground movement is added to their long jump distance.
Presence
Presence represents a character's determination, mental combat fighting ability, and understanding of the motivations of others.
If a character's Presence is reduced to zero, they have great difficulty making choices. They may make a standard action or a movement action, but not both in the same round, and they automatically fail any Presence rolls. Presence may not be reduced below zero.
Reason
Reason represents a character's ability to analyze data, draw conclusions from the facts at hand, and solve problems.
If a character's Reason is reduced to zero, they have great difficulty concentrating. They may make a standard action or a movement action, but not both in the same round, and they automatically fail any Reason rolls. Reason may not be reduced below zero.
Endurance
A character's Endurance is equal to their Agility + Brawn, and a permanent change to either of these attributes will increase or decrease the character's Endurance by the same amount. Endurance can't be purchased directly, but it can be modified with gifts or other abilities.
Endurance represents a character's ability to physically exert themselves and withstand injury. Endurance acts as a reservoir of points which is expended as the character is injured. When a character is successfully attacked, the damage they take is subtracted from their current Endurance. Endurance is replenished by rest and medical care.
Endurance may not be reduced below zero. If an attack would reduce a character's current Endurance to zero or below, it reduces them to zero Endurance. A character whose current Endurance has been reduced to 0 is defeated: they are out of the fight, and probably unconscious.
Normally, an injured character may recover half of their lost Endurance (rounded in the character's favour) by resting for about an hour. After that, a character may only recover additional Endurance by getting a good night's sleep (or its equivalent, for characters who don't sleep). Barring some gruesome disfigurement, a character's Endurance will be completely replenished after a solid night's rest.
Power Level
Power Level represents the strength of a character's posthuman abilities: their technological might, alien potency, psychic potential, and so on. Most people have a Power Level of zero.
If a power affects an area, the radius of the area is dictated by the character's Power Level. This distance is a maximum, not a requirement: a character may choose to target a smaller area. Similarly, if a power is ranged, the maximum range of the power is dictated by the character's Power Level.
If a character's Power Level is reduced to zero, they can no longer use any abilities which depend on Power Level (constant powers are unaffected). Power Level may not be reduced below zero.
| Power Level | Effect | Area | Range | Boost | Transformation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 1 m radius | 3 m | +1 | Max height 3 m, mass 270 kg, Brawn +1; Min height 60 cm, Agility +1 |
| 2 | 3 | 1 m radius | 10 m | +1 | Max height 4 m, mass 640 kg, Brawn +1; Min height 20 cm, Agility +1 |
| 3 | 6 | 2 m radius | 32 m | +1 | Max height 5 m, mass 1,300 kg, Brawn +1; Min height 6 cm, Agility +1 |
| 4 | 10 | 3 m radius | 100 m | +1 | Max height 6 m, mass 2,200 kg, Brawn +1; Min height 2 cm, Agility +1 |
| 5 | 18 | 6 m radius | 320 m | +2 | Max height 8 m, mass 5,100 kg, Brawn +2; Min height 6 mm, Agility +2 |
| 6 | 32 | 10 m radius | 1 km | +2 | Max height 11 m, mass 13 t, Brawn +2; Min height 2 mm, Agility +2 |
| 7 | 56 | 18 m radius | 3 km | +2 | Max height 15 m, mass 34 t, Brawn +2; Min height 600 μm, Agility +2 |
| 8 | 100 | 32 m radius | 10 km | +2 | Max height 20 m, mass 80 t, Brawn +2; Min height 200 μm, Agility +2 |
| 9 | 180 | 56 m radius | 32 km | +3 | Max height 27 m, mass 200 t, Brawn +3; Min height 60 μm, Agility +3 |
| 10 | 320 | 100 m radius | 100 km | +3 | Max height 36 m, mass 470 t, Brawn +3; Min height 20 μm, Agility +3 |
| 11 | 560 | 180 m radius | 320 km | +3 | Max height 47 m, mass 1,000 t, Brawn +3; Min height 6 μm, Agility +3 |
| 12 | 1000 | 320 m radius | 1,000 km | +3 | Max height 63 m, mass 2,500 t, Brawn +3; Min height 2 μm, Agility +3 |
| 13 | 1800 | 560 m radius | 3,200 km | +4 | Max height 84 m, mass 5,900 t, Brawn +4; Min height 600 nm, Agility +4 |
| 14 | 3200 | 1 km radius | 10,000 km | +4 | Max height 110 m, mass 13,000 t, Brawn +4; Min height 200 nm, Agility +4 |
| 15 | 5600 | 2 km radius | 32,000 km | +4 | Max height 150 m, mass 34,000 t, Brawn +4; Min height 60 nm, Agility +4 |